The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar of Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens, commercially known as New Guinea Impatiens, and known by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Serenityxe2x80x99. xe2x80x98Serenityxe2x80x99 was developed in a controlled breeding program by crossing Waller Seedling No. 96-2E-110-17 (seed parent) with Waller Seedling No. 95-1E-15 (pollen parent). Both parents are proprietary breeding lines which have not been sold or made publicly available in this country.
Asexual reproduction carried out in Lompoc, Calif. by terminal or stem cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stabilized and are reproduced true to type in successive propagations.
The following combination of characteristics distinguish the new Impatiens from both its parent varieties and other cultivated Impatiens of this type known to the inventor and used in the floriculture industry:
1. xe2x80x98Serenityxe2x80x99 has orange flowers of Red Group 40A with xe2x80x98Antiguaxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,283) having Red Group 41A colored flowers and xe2x80x98Celebration Orangexe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,078) having Orange-Red Group 33A colored flowers.
2. The flower diameter of xe2x80x98Serenityxe2x80x99 is similar to xe2x80x98Antiguaxe2x80x99 (6.5 to 7.0 cm) but smaller than xe2x80x98Celebration Orangexe2x80x99 (7.5 to 8.0 cm).
3. xe2x80x98Serenityxe2x80x99 has smaller leaves at 9 to 10 cm in length than xe2x80x98Antiguaxe2x80x99 (11 to 12 cm long) and xe2x80x98Celebration Orangexe2x80x99 (13 to 14 cm long).
4. The spurs of xe2x80x98Serenityxe2x80x99 are red-purple with green tips while both xe2x80x98Antiguaxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Celebration Orangexe2x80x99 have red-purple spurs with red-purple tips.
5. xe2x80x98Serenityxe2x80x99 has a green pedicel with a faint red-purple cast near the flower end, while xe2x80x98Antiguaxe2x80x99 has a moderate red-purple cast on the entire pedicel, and xe2x80x98Celebration Orangexe2x80x99 has a heavy red-purple cast on the pedicel.
6. xe2x80x98Serenityxe2x80x99 has a green midrib on the underside of the leaf while xe2x80x98Antiguaxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Celebration Orangexe2x80x99 both have red-purple midribs on the leaves.
7. xe2x80x98Serenityxe2x80x99 has the least amount of anthocyanin pigment in stems with xe2x80x98Antiguaxe2x80x99 having the most.
8. xe2x80x98Serenityxe2x80x99 has a more mounded growth habit than either of xe2x80x98Antiguaxe2x80x99 or xe2x80x98Celebration Orangexe2x80x99 which are both more upright in habit.